Dinner dispute leads to domestic violence charge

Posted: Wednesday, May 04, 2011

By KAREN GARCIA

Some people just don't appreciate when their partner slaves over a hot stove all day.

At least that's what Dustin Clark thought his live-in boyfriend's issue was when he blew a fuse after Clark opted for a canned dinner of SpaghettiOs instead of the lasagna Benjamin Peterson had prepared earlier. Peterson did not take the snubbing well.

An affidavit submitted by Alaska State Trooper Michael Wilson said that Clark called 911 a little after 5 p.m. Saturday to report that his boyfriend had assaulted him. Clark said Peterson "became enraged" and was "freaking out" and breaking household items because of the SpaghettiOs incident.

During the outburst, Peterson allegedly chucked furnishings around the couple's home and kicked a wood-burning stove, breaking a glass door valued at approximately $150.

By the time Wilson arrived at the Kenai residence, Peterson had left and walked to an unknown location. Clark told Wilson he had not been physically assaulted by his boyfriend. Though troopers were unable to locate Peterson, they told Clark to call them if he came home.

Two hours later, Clark called and said Peterson had returned. When troopers responded, they interviewed Peterson, who said he was "stressed out" and that anger had led him to kick the stove.

Peterson was arrested for criminal mischief in the fourth degree -- a domestic violence charge categorized as a class A misdemeanor -- and arraigned on Sunday. He was released on his own recognizance under certain conditions, one being that he have no contact, direct or indirect, with Clark.

It is unclear how the no contact order will affect who lives in the Karluk Avenue home, since the two jointly own the residence.